Systematic Characterization of Genomic Variation to Assess Effects of Individual Variants on Genome Function and Phenotype (UM1 Clinical Trials Not Allowed)

The National Institutes of Health (NIH), through its National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI), is forecasting a funding opportunity titled “Systematic Characterization of Genomic Variation to Assess Effects of Individual Variants on Genome Function and Phenotype.” This initiative is categorized under discretionary funding and will be issued as a cooperative agreement using the UM1 activity code. The goal is to systematically characterize genomic variations by studying how individual variants impact genome functionality and overall phenotype. This effort is not open to clinical trials and is aimed at forming a coordinated scientific consortium. NHGRI's overarching objective for this program is to support high-throughput research methods that perturb genomic variants or elements and analyze their effects on molecular, cellular, or organismal phenotypes. Funded research centers will be expected to collect detailed data at the DNA, RNA, or protein level, contributing to the development of robust and reproducible data pipelines. These research centers will become a core part of the Impact of Genomic Variation on Function (IGVF) Consortium, promoting collaboration and data sharing across a broad spectrum of genomic researchers. Centers will coordinate on assays, selected variants, cell types, and analysis strategies to ensure consistency and data interoperability. The initiative is designed to serve as a comprehensive research collaboration. Centers will work not only independently but in close cooperation with other members of the IGVF Consortium. This includes joint development of shared methodologies, selection of research targets, and efforts to make all outputs widely accessible to the research community. Importantly, this early notice aims to give potential applicants adequate time to plan proposals and establish collaborations prior to the official Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) release in 2025. The forecast estimates five awards will be distributed under this opportunity, with a total program funding level of $3,000,000. While award ceiling and floor amounts have not yet been defined, the absence of a cost-sharing or matching requirement is confirmed. Eligible applicants include a broad range of institutions: state and local governments, tribal entities, higher education institutions, nonprofits, public housing authorities, and small businesses. The expected application due date is July 15, 2025, with anticipated award announcements by April 1, 2026. Projects funded under this opportunity are also scheduled to begin on April 1, 2026. The grant opportunity will be published on or about May 16, 2025. The grant does not currently list a pre-application or letter of intent deadline. Since this is a forecasted opportunity, the status is not yet active for submissions. Questions regarding this opportunity should be directed to Stephanie A. Morris, Ph.D., at the National Human Genome Research Institute. She can be reached by phone at 301-435-5738 or via email at morriss2@mail.nih.gov. No application questions or detailed proposal elements are listed at this time, and no previous award recipients are identified in the announcement.